Ballast-cleaning apparatus



Oct. 30, 1928.

P. H. HAMILTON BALLAST CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 26, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Imfen or I Ham; /fan 7 @M A/VJ J u s Oct. 30, 1928.

P. H. HAMILTON BALLAST CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 26, 1925 mm a WWVYO e Q H w 3 r Get. 30, 1928.

P. H. HAMILTON BALLAST CLEANING APPARATUS 3 sheets-sheet 5 Filed Aug. 26, 1925 F H/ /Q J/foH 43M W wimwww wl m M igww Om m w R Patented Oct. 30, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PERRY H. HAMILTON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOB T0 EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 01' ILLHTOIB.

BALLAST-CLEANING APPARATUS.

Application filed August 26, 1925. Serial No. 52,567.

This invention relates to a new and improved apparatus for cleaning rock-ballast. With this machine, the ballast is removed from the road-bed, cleaned, and returned to the road-bed in one continuous operation. An apparatus similar in many respects to the apparatus hereinafter described, is disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 40,463, filed June 29, 1925. The present invention is designed as an improve ment on the apparatus disclosed in this prior application. a

After some months of service, and exposure to the elements, the rock-ballast used to support and hold in place the ties which carry the tracks, becomes fouled and loses its efficiency. This is caused by the dirt and other refuse which blows in from the surrounding territory, and by cinders and other deposits from passing trains. The result is bad drainage from the road-bed, and the ballast loses its resiliency. Instead of giving under pressure and springing back after the passing of the train, the ballast becomes packed down, dead, and soggy, and open pockets are formed under some of the ties. In dry weather, the dirt will blow out from the ballast causing annoyance and possible .injury to passengers on the trains.

For these reasons, it is desirable, and often necessary, to remove the ballast from between the ties, and from the space between adjacent tracks, and beyond the ends of the ties, and replace same with new ballast, or, which is more economical, clean the old ballast and use it again.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for cleaning those portions of the roadbed lying between adjacent tracks, and the outer sides of the tracks, although some of the improved features of this apparatus are applicable to any type of bal ast-cleaning apparatus, whether portable or not, and regardless of thesource from which the ballast is obtained.

An object of-the invention is to produce a new apparatus which will dig up the ballast, clean the ballast, remove and collect the cleanings, and return the cleaned ballast to the road-bed, all in one continuous operation.

Another object is to provide such an apparatus'which is self-contained, and self-transporting, and is sufliciently compact to operate in the space between adjacent tracks without necessitating its removal, or the cessation of operations, to allow trains to pass by on the adjacent trackways.

Another object is to provide such an apparatus which is simpler and more compact than 00 machines of this type heretofore used or suggested.

Another object is to provide a combined cleaning and conveying mechanism, which simultaneously transports the ballast through 65 the machine and separates the cleanings and finer materials therefrom. Specifically, this portion of the apparatus comprises a plurallty of separate, movable, conveyor chains or cables, which are spaced sufliciently close together to carry the larger, redeemable port1ons of the ballast through the machine, but allow the finer, undesirable materials to fall through the spaces between the cables.

Another object is to provide means cooperating with the conveyor cables for agitating the conveyed material to facilitate the separation process.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of one improved form of apparatus, involving the principles of this mvention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus.

Fig. 7 is a partial vertical section, corre- 10o sponding to the upper left-hand end of Fig. 4, showing a modification.

The apparatus (which is here shown rather diagrammatically, since it is capable of considerable variation in structural details), comprises the following main parts: a main truck or carriage A, preferably of the creeping tractor type, a secondary carriage body B tiltingly mounted upon the main carriage A, a digging mechanism C at the front end of body B, a cleaning mechanism D mounted in body B, and a driving unit E mounted at the rear end of the body B of the carriage A.

The carriage A comprises a frame or chassis 1, carried on either side by a tractor device, preferably of the well-known endless chain type 2, driven by a gear train 3 through intermediate shaft 4, and universal joints 5 and 6 from the driving mechanism E. The details of this driving unit E are not shown, but it will preferably consist of an internal combustion engine and the usual change speed and reversing gear connections whereby the tractors 2 may be driven either simultaneously or individually, in the same or opposite directions, and at various speeds. In operation, the forward movement of the tractors 2 will be very slow, but it is desirable that a higher speed drive be provided for moving the apparatus from place to place when not in operation.

The main body portion B is tiltingly mounted on the carriage A, preferably by means pivoted about the forward axis 7 of the tractors 2. Mechanism is provided to'raise or lower the rear portion of body B with relation to the corresponding end of carriage A, in order to raise or lower the digging mechanism at the front end of the apparatus. thereby varying the angle of inclination of the diggers with relation to the ballast upon which they are operating. As here shown, a vertical adjusting screw 8 is pivotally mounted at its lowerend 9 in carriage A, and engages at an intermediate point with a nut 10 swingingly mounted at 11 on a rearward extension 12 of body B. By manipulating the hand wheel 13 at the upper end of screw 8, the nut 11 and consequently the rear end of body B may be elevated or lowered along the screw 8, thus tilting body C about the axis 7 and varying its angle of inclination with respect to the supporting plane upon which the carriage A rests.

The digging mechanism C comprises a pair of similar but oppositely disposed units, mounted on the two front corners of the body B. Each unit comprises a vertical cutting disk 14, and a horizontal cutting disk 15, which in operation are rotated continuously at rather high speeds in the directions indicated by the arrows in the drawings. Vertical disk 14 is carried by a shaft 16 mounted in a bracket 17 of the body B, and is positioned at an angle to the center line of the apparatus with its forward cutting edge 18 projecting somewhat beyond the outer side plane of the carriage assembly. Horizontal cutting disk 15 is mounted on vertical shaft 19 so that its cutting edge will operate in substantially the plane upon which the carriage A is supported, although these disks 15 can be tilted down to operate below the support for carriage A, for reasons hereinafter specified. As here shown, the vertical shaft 19 for rotating the disk 15 is driven through worm gearing 20 from a substantially horizontal drive shaft 21 which extends back to the driving unit E. The vertical cutting disk 14 is rotated from the shaft 19 through the train of gearing comprising bevel gear 22 on shaft 19, meshing with bevel gear 23 on an intermediate horizontal shaft 24. connected through bevel gears 25 and 26 with a vertical 14 and 15 back onto the conveyor mechanism hereinafter described. The vertical disks 14, the outer edges of which rotate upwardly as indicated, serve principally to cut a path for the machine, and loosen up the ballast, and prevent clogging against the lower cutting disks 15. The inwardly rotating disks 15 function to cut away the ballast along the lower horizontal plane. and carry this ballast inwardly along the walls or deflectors 30 onto the conveyor of the cleaning mechanism.

The cleaning mechanism D comprises means for conveying the excavated material through the machine and simultaneously separating the reelaimable portion of the ballast from the dirt and other fine refuse which are to be discarded. A plurality of conveyor cables or chains 31 are so mounted that their upper ballast-carrying runs move substantially parallel with one another in the same direction, and in the same upwardly inclined plane. The upper loop of each cable 31 is carried by a drive pulley 32, fixed to a horizontal shaft 34 which is driven from the digger-driving shaft 21 through worm 35 and worm-wheel 36. The lower, forward loops of the cables 31 are carried by idler pulleys 37 on a horizontal shaft 38. The lower runs of the cables 31 pass about idler pulleys 39 on a transverse shaft 40 near the rear of the carriage to increase the distance between the upper and lower ends of the cables to make room for the refuse collecting mechanism hereinafter described. In the spaces between the adjacent'upper runs of the conveyor cables 31 are positioned a series of relatively stationary bars 41. These bars may, if desired, be fixed immovably in position with a rather small space 42 remaining between either side of each bar and the adjacent runs of the conveyor cables 31. Since the function of these bars 41 is to agitate the material, and insure the separation of the dirt from the ballast, this operation may be facilitated by imparting an up and down jogging movement to the bars 41. For this purpose, we have shown the upper end portion of each bar 41 resting upon a cam 43 carried by a transverse horizontal shaft 44. Shaft 44 is continuously rotated by means of a gear 45 secured to one end thereof and meshing with a gear 46 on shaft 34. A fork 47 on the lower side of bar 41 embraces the cam 43 to prevent excessive endwise movement of bar 41 while at the same time permitting the bar 41 to be moved up and down through a short distance b the cam 43 upon which the bar rests. The ower end of each bar 41 is supported b a roller 48 on a transverse shaft 49. It wi 1 be seen that the continuous rotation of shaft 44 will, through the cams 43, continuously1 jog the bars 41 up and down to agitate t e ballast material which is being carried along by the moving cables 31. All of the dirt and finer material which is to be removed will fall through the spaces 42 between the bars 41 and the cables 31, but the larger pieces of ballast, which are capable of being reused, will be carried up by the cables 31 and discharged over the rear of the machine onto the road-bed. The material which falls through the spaces 42 is caught by a conveyor, preferably of the endless belt type 50, the end loops of which are carried b drums 51 and 52. Drum 51 is driven in t e roper direction from shaft 44 through a tram of spur-gearing 53. The material discharged from the upper end of conveyor 50 may be caught in any suitable receptacle or may fall upon a pair of oppositely moving transverse belt conveyors 54 and 54 which discharge the material at the sides of the machine, either onto the ground or into suitable collection receptacles 55 and 55'. Each of these conveyors 54 and 54' may be driven in any suitable manner, as here shown the drums 56 at the inner looped ends of these conveyors are driven from shaft 34 through the beveled gears 57 and the beltgearing 58.

It is to be understood that the greater portion of the mechanism hereinabove described, is shown rather diagrammatically and that a large range of equivalents is available for performing the functions indicated. Any kind of flexible members, such as chains, ropes, or cables, may be used as the conveyors 31. r

The agitation of the conveyed material may be further effected, to insure the separation of the dirt from the ballast, by driving the different cables 31 at various speeds. This may be accomplished, as indicated in Fig. 7,

by using cable-driving pulleys 59 and 60 of different sizes on the drive shaft 34. To keep all of the upper runs of the cables in the same plane, the cables are passed over guide pulleys 61, mounted on the shaft 44 between the cams 43. This variable speed drive for the different conveyor cables 31 may be used as an alternative to the movable bars 41, or both may be used to exert an accumulative agitating effect upon the ballast material. On the other hand, the machine will operate effectively without either of these features, that is, all of the cables may be driven at the same speed, as shown in Fig. 4, and the bars 41 may be fixed immovably in position. In such a construction, the retarding action exerted by the stationary bars 41 upon the moving material carried by the cables 31 will agitate this material so that the finer dirt and refuse will fall through the spaces 42.

In Fig. 2, the apparatus is indicated in operation in the space between two adjacent lines of railway tracks 62 and 63. It will be noted that the over-all height of the vapparatus is such that passing trains, one of which is indicated in dotted lines at 64, can pass thereover without encountering any portion of the cleaning apparatus. This machine is also adapted to remove and clean the ballast from the spaces 65 at the outer ends of the ties. In beginning operations, the nose or front end of the body B carrying the digging mechanism C will be tilted down below the plane upon which the carriage A rests, by manipulation of the screw 8, so that the device will dig its way down to the desired level. By subsequently manipulating the hand wheel 13 of screw 8, the body B will be straightened out so that the device will operate along this lower plane, as indicated in Fig. 2. The driving mechanism E will be so adjusted that the carriage will move forward very slowly and the ballast will be dug up from in front of the apparatus, cleaned as it is conveyed over and through the apparatus, and then discharged again onto the roadbed behind the carriage A. It will be lnn noted that the operation is continuous as the rectly onto the ground beside the ballasted area. Since the tractors 2 are independently operable in either direction, it is possible to oscillate the machine or edge it forward one side at a time, in order to assist in breaking into material which is unusually diflicult to cut loose.

Since in this improved machine a single mechanism serves both as a conveyor and as a screening device, the over-all vertical height of the machine may be reduced to a minimum, which is advantageous in view of the limited space permitted between tracks and below the passing trains. It should be noted that this portion of the machine, where clogging is most apt to occur, is entirely open and accessible from above, and there is nothing to impede the passage of large objects such as might tend to jam the mechanism.

I claim:

1. A portable apparatus for cleaning rockballast, comprising a movable carria e, means at the front end of the carriage or digging up the ballast, means for conveying the ballast upwardly through the carriage to be discharged at the rear end thereof, and means for imparting an up and down movement to the ballast during this travel throu h the carriage to shake out the finer materia 2. In a ballast cleaning machine, ballast excavating mechanism, a plurality of spaced moving cables inclined upwardly from the digging mechanism, the excavated ballast being delivered onto the upper runs of these cables, and means beneath the ballast-carrying runs of the cables for collecting the finer material that falls through the spaces between the cables.

3. In a ballast cleaning machine, a plurality of spaced mov' cables, means for excavating material 31% delivering it onto the upper runs of these cables, means positioned between the cables for agitating the material, and means positioned beneath the ballastcarrying runs of the cables for collecting the finer material that falls through the spaces between the cables.

4. In a ballast cleaning machine, a lurality of spaced moving cables, means or excavating material and delivering it onto the upper runs of these cables, a plurality of bars positioned in the spaces between the ballast-ca g runs of the cables, and means beneath the cables and bars for collecting the finer material that falls through the spaces therebetween.

5. In a ballast cleaning machine, a ballast excavating mechanism, a plurality of spaced conveyors inclined upwardly from the excavating mechanism, means for moving these conveyors in the same direction but at different speeds, the excavated material being delivered onto these conveyors, and means for collecting the finer material that falls through the spaces between the conveyors.

6. In a ballast cleaning machine, ballast excavating mechanism, a. plurality of spaced cables inclined upwardly from the excavating mechanism, means for moving the upper runs of the cables in the same direction but at different speeds, the excavated material being delivered onto these upper runs of the cables, and means for collecting the finer material that falls through the spaces between the cables.

7 In a ballast cleaning machine, a. plurality of spaced cables, means for movin the upper runs of the cables in the same irection but at different speeds, means for excavating material and delivering it onto these upper runs of the cables, bars positioned in the spaces between the material-carrying runs of the cables, and means for collecting the material that falls through the spaces between the cables and bars.

8. In a ballast cleaning machine, a plurality of spaced moving conve ors, means for excavating material and elivering it to these conve ors, a plurality of bars positioned between t e conveyors, there remaining spaces between the bars and conveyors whereby fine material may sift therethrough, and means for imparting an up and down movement to these bars to agitate the material.

9. In a ballast cleaning machine, a plurality of spaced moving conveyors, means for excavating material and delivering it to these conveyors, a plurality of bars positioned between the conveyors, there remaining spaces between the bars and conveyors whereby fine material may sift therethrough, and rotary cams upon which portions of the bars rest whereby the bars are moved up and down to agitate the material.

10. In a ballast cleanin machine, means 95 to excavate material and deliver it into the machine, and means to separate the ballast from the cleanings, comprising means to convey the material upwardl through the machine and dischar e the c eaned ballast, and means to agitate t e material during its upward progrem throu h the machine, there be ing spaces between t ese two latter means to permit the passage therethrough of the clcanlngs.

11. In a ballast cleanin machine, means to excavate material and deliver it into the machine, and means to separate the ballast from the cleanings, comprising means to convey the material upwardly through the machine and discharge the cleaned ballast, means to agitate the material during its upward progress through the machine, there being spaces between these two latter means to permit the passage therethrough of the cleanings, and means to collect the cleanings that fall through the spaces.

12. An apparatus for excavating, cleaning and replacing rock-ballast, comprising a carriage, means for moving the carriage for wardly, digging means at the front of the carriage, a plurality of spaced moving conveyors for carrying the excavated material toward the rear of the carr age, means positioned in the spaces between the moving con- 126 veyors to agitate the material, the finer material dropping through the spaces between the relatively moving members, and means heneath the conveyors for collectin this material as it is removed from the b ast.

13. An apparatus for excavating, cleaning and replacing rock-ballast, comprising a. carriage, means for moving the carriage for- Wardly, digging means at the front of the carriage, a plurality of endless cables the upper runs of which travel substantially parallel With one another and convey the excavated material toward the rear of the carriage, a plurality of bars positioned in the spaces between the cables, and a conveyor beneath the upper runs of the cables for collecting the cleanings which fall through the spaces between the cables and bars.

PERRY H. HAMILTON. 

